Edge of Midnight
by claudia flies
Summary: Sequel to “Sweet and Tender Beasts”. There is no such thing as happily ever after. Anna x Gabriel
1. Prologue

Author: Claudia flies

Rating: hard R / NC-17 / Mature Content

Spoilers: 'Van Helsing' the movie

Summary: In the absence of Dracula a dark power is rising in Rome; The Order is less than happy about Anna's presence in the Holy City; Anna and Gabriel to come to blows.

Category: AU, Romance, Drama, Sequel

Warnings: Violence, gore, sex and religious themes. This is rated hard R for a reason, if that is not your cup of tea then do not read it.

Author's Notes: This is a sequel to _Sweet and Tender Beasts_; if you haven't read it this will make very little sense.

Archiving: Ask first.

Disclaimer: 'Van Helsing' and all its related articles are the property of Universal Studios and Stephen Sommers. I am not making any money off this. The story is mine. 

Feedback: Yes, please.

Dedication: Again to my lovely beta Ruby, who has managed to find time to help me work through the kinks of this story. And most of all by helping me find depth and character and for saying the things I needed to hear the most.

Prologue

Transylvania 1879

Her lungs were burning for oxygen; legs trembling from the speed she commanded them forwards. She could feel the breath of the beast, its stench behind her; gaining as she tore through the forest. The sharp needles of the trees scratched her face; her throat was constricted by tears and panic. At a root of a large tree she stumbled, the beast's claws landing in the soft earth next to her face.

Its body was heavy on top of hers; slobber and foul breath spreading around her face. The beast's read beady eyes stared at her, its bloodlust for her there to read. The handle of the knife was cold and unfamiliar in her hand. She had practiced with it for a year, but now she had forgotten all of her father's teachings. The beats growled the action reverberating through its frame echoing in Anna's chest. She squeezed the knife tighter in her fist and snarled into the beasts eyes; sinking the blade into its lung. The beast screeched horribly and she sunk the blade again pulling it within the creatures flesh. Warm blood spilled on her; coating her clothes and trickling right to her skin. The coppery smell of it filled her nostrils. The beast was clawing the ground; pawn sinking into the earth right next to her body. She pushed the blade in once more; into its chest aiming for the heart. Its struggles stilled; its body slumping onto one side.

Anna crawled away from underneath the creature's body. She let herself lay on the ground breathing hard. She turned to look at the wolf; its breathing was laboured and whiny. The beasts eyes collided with hers; keeping her gaze prisoner. There was such desperation and such longing in the gaze of the wolf. She felt the tears form and fall, but could not break the connection. Finally she felt the life of the creature slip away; its eyes staring at her empty. Slowly she moved onto her knees, reaching with trembling fingers to press its eyes close. Her hand moved onto the animals head petting the matted fur. Her voice was so hoarse from running and crying that it was barely audible above the murmur of the trees.

"O Divine Master, grant that I may not, so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved, as to love."

Anna could hear Velkan's frantic voice calling her through the woods. She pressed her face into the wolf's pelt.

"For it is in giving that we receive. It is in pardoning that we are pardoned."

It smelled of death and of the trees surrounding her home.

"It is in dying that we are born to eternal life. "


	2. Edge of Midnight

Edge of Midnight

* * *

Into the valleys

The shadow of death

Grieves silently across the darkened sea

This is it

We stand alone

We can see it all from here

The starless night across the mountain side

No one left to talk to

There's nothing left to say

- Sarah McLachlan "As the End Draws Near"

* * *

But under skinned knees and the skid marks

Past the places where you used to learn

You howl and listen

Listen and wait for the

Echoes of angels who won't return

- Vertical Horizon, "Everything You Want"

* * *

The Vatican, April 1889

Cardinal Jinette was not a patient man by nature. The last years of supervising the missions of Gabriel Van Helsing had put a great strain on Jinette's tolerance. The man was insolent, blasphemous and refused to abide by many of the Order's rules of engagement. Jinette smiled humourlessly; engagement indeed. He had not expected perfect results from the mission in Transylvania, but still he had not expected this. Van Helsing had returned victorious, but he had not returned alone. The princess had been with him. Jinette had seen paintings of the girl; they however did not do her justice.

Van Helsing's return had taken much more time than the Order had anticipated. Most of the field men were on assignments around the globe and Jinette had been forced to allow a potentially dangerous situation near the Lake Garda go unchecked. Jinette had not bothered to wait for the man in the confessional, but had walked up to meet him at the basilica's entrance. To his dismay Anna Valerious had stood next to the hunter head held high and uncovered. A large sword had hung on her hip and a large battle axe was tied to her back.

She had spoken to Van Helsing; and to Jinette himself, as she was an equal. The Cardinal could understand that in their desperation Boris Valerious had allowed his daughter to join the battle; but he had not expected her to be so crude. As Jinette had pulled Van Helsing aside and explained the situation plaguing the city of Riva she had followed. She had looked Jinette in the eyes without any decorum and had assumed that she would be accompanying Van Helsing to his assignment. Jinette had felt like slapping the woman. Luckily Van Helsing had had the sense of putting her in her place. He had been slightly suspicious of the surprise that flashed on the woman's face before the rage had set in. Friar Carl, always the diplomat, had fortunately lead her away from Jinette and Van Helsing, promising to show her assigned living quarters. Jinette had not seen the girl since.

What had later on begun to erode on his mind the most were the rumours that began circulating among the Order's and the Vatican's staff. It was understood that the relationship between Van Helsing and the Princess had become inappropriate. Friar Carl had vehemently denied this when Jinette had queried him about the gossip. However the rumours could be potentially damaging to the Church, whose guest the Princess was currently. Even though she was not part of any national court her position as the Princess of the Gypsies still held some power; especially here in Rome where most of the clan heads had spies and informants. He turned towards the Priest who had entered few minutes previously.

"Ah, Father. There is an urgent matter that requires your attention. I trust that you will inform Mother Superior of these matters as well…"

**x x x x x x x **

The first days of her stay in Rome had not gone as Anna had expected. The years her family had sacrificed defending their land and their faith against the evil of Dracula was obviously of no consequence or worthy of praise when the only remaining defender was a woman. She had felt the Cardinal's cold gaze sweep over her in St. Peter's cathedral; felt his disdain. That was nothing however compared to the rage that bubbled up in her at Gabriel's refusal to allow her to accompany him to Riva. It was as if he did not see her anymore. Seeing no reason to fight an already lost battle she had allowed Carl to guide her, still fuming, into the guest wing of the complex.

She fast noticed that the Vatican planned to keep her up in luxury befitting a royal guest, but otherwise she would be isolated from any business regarding Transylvania or The Knights of the Holy Order. Once more her body had become her enemy. She was no longer a warrior; not even in Gabriel's eyes. Bitterly she understood that now that he had taken pleasure in her body, found that indeed beneath all that rage and fight was only a woman he could not trust her to wage war anymore. She had forced herself not to cry; not to let the sorrow that almost overwhelmed her senses to take over. She had learned to be strong in the face of emotional trials; to let them rein in the darkness of her rooms when the need arose.

She had not even been allowed to see Carl. Her part in the destruction of Dracula or Gabriel's sudden recovery from lycanthropy was not mentioned or discussed. In truth she had been isolated from all events concerning her family. The only company she had been officially allowed were the young tittering servants and the young nuns who were associated with the order. Anna had bored with them quickly. She had fast realised that while she was no prisoner, her stay in the Vatican was monitored. After few days of observing the movements of the guards she found a few good routes out of the complex and into the city.

She toured Rome on her own, preferring the narrow alleys of the more disreputable parts of the city than the grand sights and promenades that attracted the main crowds. She had expected the hostility towards her clothes and mannerisms, but not to this degree; women and men looked upon her with open contempt. She had found some refuge in the gypsy quartet, but had not lingered there for long in fear of meeting some of her clan's elders, who were in no way informed of her stay in Rome.

It was slowly beginning to dawn on her that she was alone on hostile ground. The priests worked slowly, but surely to erode the identity of the warrior she had been raised as. She had seen the gowns and feminine capes that had miraculously appeared in the closet. Every night she was forced to hide her own clothing underneath her mattress in fear of not finding them in the morning anymore. She marvelled at how similar the church's strategies of disempowering her were to those of Dracula. The beautiful surroundings, servants and the mockingly expensive silk clothing. She truly felt caged in the beauty and luxury. After the first few lonely days she had forbidden herself to think of Gabriel. He was not coming back for her.

It had only been seven days when the letter arrived. Of course Anna had expected it, but not so soon. The letter commanded her to attend a gathering of the gypsy court of Rome in order to discuss the final feat over Dracula. Anna saw the signature; _Gyorgy_, and understood that her family's reign was over. The invitation was merely a formality to strip her of her rights to the lands, to her rights to the court. Gyorgy had been the stand-in ruler for as long as Anna could remember. He father had been King, but their family's pledge had consumed his life. The Gypsies were not too bothered with by a formal ruler, but there still must be a King who will act as a uniting force between the feuding clans. Now the title was Grorgy's right. Anna knew that she had to step down silently. Gyorgy had four sons to any of whom she could be easily enough offered as a bride now that her father and brother were gone. She had to step down and disappear.

Years ago Anna had sword she would not be anyone's war prize; anyone's possession. She knew that the kills she had performed during her life gave her protection against being robbed as a bride, but not for long. She needed to be claimed by someone in the eyes of the clan or she needed to vanish. It had become apparent that Gabriel would not be of any help during these proceedings and she would be left with no other choice.

She stood proud as the servant girls dressed her in the finest midnight blue gown provided and she strapped her two swords and her pistol to her waist. She would not step down with a bowed head.

**x x x x x x x **

The twitching of the young man's limbs slowly subsided as his body expelled its final breath. The girl was still silently sobbing in the corner, but Gabriel could not bring himself to care. He had been rather more brutal than necessary with the warlock. He had kept the town under his thrall with a few simple spells; demanding maidens, money and power, rather unimaginative Gabriel had thought. The boy had had power in his fingertips, but very little experience on how to use it. He understood the Order's need to deal with the situation fast before the boy's powers had begun to escalate.

He had known that Jinette would never have allowed Anna to accompany him. He had also felt the need to keep his relationship with Anna from him. Gabriel had never discussed it, but the Order was not very tolerant towards women. Companionship was to be found in friendships between the knights themselves. The secrecy of their missions forced most of them to forgo any hopes for family life. Their reward was to be a divine one, pleasures of the flesh were denied to them as much as they were to the priests. He had presumed that Anna would understand his need for diplomacy with the Order; had presumed that he would have time to explain. The flinched look in her eyes at his words, even though her body remained motionless, told him all he needed to know. He could not take this back; would never be forgiven. He had wanted to fall at her feet and beg, but his pride would not let him; not under the watchful eye of the Cardinal. So he had watched her retreating back as Carl lead her away.

She had loved the sea. The crossing from Privlaka had been an unusual one. For two days the ship had been surrounded by a misty calm, the sailors had been anxious and the captain worried. Anna on the other hand had loved it. She had stood on the misty covered deck for hours looking out into the ocean. On early mornings he had often found her in the helm wrapped in his coat. The salt had clung to her skin, making their bed smell like the ocean. It was the closest he had even come to bliss. Part of him had however known that all things must come to an end. The stillness had been otherwordly; as if easing their passage from the mythical lands of Transylvania into the modern Rome.

That was gone now. Her eyes had closed off when he had refused her; refused to trust her strength. He pulled his tojo blades into hiding again and walked to the shivering young girl. He rode back into town with the girl's arms tightly constricting his waist. Her family offered him dinner and a bed for the night, but he was needed back in Rome.

Evening had fallen over the Holy City when Gabriel finally rode into the stables. The lateness of the hour allowed him to enter through the Basilica. He had cabled Jinette from Riva of his arrival and hoped that the Cardinal would be already waiting for him in the confessional.

The man was snappish, but professional. He seemed unusually pleased over the demise of the young warlock; Gabriel refused to question the man's moods. He moved to leave, but the other man's cold voice stopped him.

"It would be prudent if you would not be in contact with the Princess anymore; easier for all of us."

He gave the Cardinal a cold look.

"I brought her here and I will not cut contact with her merely because you would wish it."

He moved to exit the confessional.

"Van Helsing!"

The Cardinal's voice was almost pleading, but still managed to retain its harsh quality.

"The Princess has family here. The gypsy court that resides in Rome has taken her under their protection."

Few days earlier the cardinal had received a letter from the leader of the Central European tribes of the gypsies: Gyorgy Faw. He had been very clear: Anna Valerious would bee stripped of her station and her right of rule would be transferred to Gyorgy's family. The man had assured that a suitable place would be found for the princess within the gypsy court and she would no longer be a burden to the hospitality of the Vatican.

"She has already lost so much, it would be best if she was allowed to return to her own people without any… complications."

The final word was loaded and the Cardinal's eyes were cold. Gabriel was painfully aware that the man at least suspected him of breaching the Order's rules. He did not need to be indebted to the Cardinal now.

"She is a remarkable young woman and deserves the happiness provided by the security of a family and marriage."

Gabriel wanted to kill the man, because part of him knew the truth of his words. Anna missed her family terribly and he could never offer commitment or security to her. For eight years his life had been committed to the Order and destruction of evil. Jinette's voice softened.

"You still seek for your forgotten past. The Order can be very helpful in recovering those memories."

He gave the cardinal a hateful look.

**x x x x x x x**

Gyorgy's house was silent. Not even the slight flames of the candles flickered. Anna felt uncomfortable as the silk of her dress rustled against the stone floor as a silent servant lead her into the library. A few men were gathered around the huge oak desk; in the centre stood a broad-shouldered man. He made a move to bow.

"My Lady Valerious, this is an honour beyond…"

"Do not patronise me by playing this game, Gyorgy. We are both too soaked in the blood of our people not to know why I am here."

Anna made a motion towards the papers on the old man's desk. He looked at her silently, perhaps for the first time with pride and pulled out the release orders. The other men stood away from the desk as Anna took her chair. She fingered the brittle parchment; so this is how strong a ruler's hold truly is. She took the offered quill and signed. They both stood up and Anna moved to leave, but suddenly Gyorgy offered his hand. This was not done; she was not his equal, especially not now. She took the hardened palm into her own and bid him good-bye. Before she could take her leave he also offered her a small back card.

"My Lady, there is always someone left to fight."

His eyes were closed off, but Anna took the card none the less. As she arrived to the courtyard she noticed that the drivers had taken a leave; had probably gone to the kitchen to drink with the house's help: most likely expecting her visit to be much longer. She felt no need to inform them otherwise. Anna released one of the horses from the coach and rose on; properly, she was a lady no longer.

"Lady Valerious."

Gyorgy stood in the faint light of the doorway, his face cloaked in shadow.

"May God protect you in the darkness of the night."

Silently Anna nodded in return. This had always been her place; the endless battles against forces that could never be defeated or would never perish. She understood Gyorgy's choices now; even when she did not respect them. There was always someone left to fight. A ruler was too vulnerable, too important to the system of society to fight such an enemy. She had been born and bred for this. She raised her hand and hailed her King goodbye. She rode out through the gate; leaving the carriage of a high born lady behind.

When she arrived back to the Vatican she pulled out her long sword and pistol, admiring them in the low light. With a look she silenced the questions from the young servants as she fastened her corset. She needed familiar ground, to feel the iron hard against her palm; the feel of a dying enemy under her sword.

**x x x x x x x **

Cardinal Jinette tried to compose himself. In merely an hour he was supposed to present and wrap up the matter of Dracula in front of the Order's council. Slowly he fingered the papers resting on his desk; among them a suspiciously short and simple report from Van Helsing of his experiences in Transylvania. The document in question had roused the Cardinals suspicion and he had sent two monks back to Transylvania to gather information on the events that had taken place. That report had been thick and intricate.

It seemed that the Princess had been in a maelstrom of controversy even before Van Helsing's arrival, but the death of her brother and the arrival of an unrelated male into the Valerious manor had created more than enough gossip among the villagers. The investigators had however faced the problem of separating the actual events from the sensational lies; such as a tittering servant girl's tale of how Princess and Van Helsing had desecrated the old Valerious chapel. The Cardinal was reluctant to believe that the pious Princess would allow her family's chapel and final resting place be violated in such a manner; but no smoke without fire.

Jinette had also entertained the possibility that the Princess was not in Rome willingly. Van Helsing was a crude and violent man, who hunted and killed for a living. Even though the Princess presented a cold front befitting royalty, she was no more than a lonely young woman bereft of protection from her father or from her brother. However the case may be Jinette had seen fit to provide the Princess with her own quarters and with suitable distraction in order to stop her from distracting Van Helsing. The order was on a holy, but dangerous, mission; distractions for its most prized fighter would lead to loss of dedication. Jinette had fought too hard for Van Helsing's obedience to lose him to some gypsy tart.

**x x x x x x x **

Carelessly she dropped the swords by the door. Blood, sweat and dust from the roads had created a mosaic of strange shapes on her face, creating a look of a primitive warrior.

"Out!"

She barked the orders with much more force than she felt. The young girls the Vatican had provided her as servants scuttled fast into the hallway and left. She unhooked her corset without ceremony and picked up a bottle of red wine from the lower cupboard, where she had managed to hide it. She took her battered body to the window sill, looking out to the twinkling city and slowly sipping from the bottle.

She could feel the aliveness of Rome in the air, the smoke, the blood, the pulse of life. She instinctively knew that this was not her city, nor her place. The dirty back alleys where she had gone in search of the violence of her former life were unwelcoming. Even as she hacked and mutilated the vampires praying on the poor and the weak, she could feel their gazes; not just the gazes of her clansmen, but the beggars and the streetwalkers of the stinky streets. She was an abomination to their eyes: a woman wielding the power of the sword and of the kill. She longed for the darkness of her village where the people understood the necessity of her position.

It became a strenuous existence for Anna. Her violent temper frightened away most of the servants and the few nuns who had been ordered to keep her company. Her lavish apartment turned into a silent ghost house. She let herself sleep late into the day and spent her afternoons reading some of the silly books the Order had considered proper for her. It was stifling and boring.

It made her nights even more violent. Now she craved it; the pull and the crunch; the smell of supernatural blood. She exhausted herself by rescuing whores and street urchins until the light words of the women's novels disappeared from her minds eye.

Almost three weeks had gone by since her arrival when the Order sent a priest. He was a young and unschooled. The servants had most likely informed him of her nightly treks and he arrived neatly before sunrise.

Anna gave him a look and continued to clean her sword; long even strokes with the blood soaked rag. Her face was still covered in the fine dust of the streets; light linen shirt barely covering anything. She seethed her sword and pulled her pistol out. She smiled at the visible tremor that ran though the man. Jinette was indeed a fool. She turned to face the man, eyes cold.

"Tell Van Helsing that next time he sends a lackey I will take off one of your fingers."

The man ran. Anna felt vindictive pleasure in the man's fear. She tuned her eyes to her pistol; her brother's pistol. He would be so angry at her. Velkan had always been so gentle. When Anna had felt the need to rage and break their mother's china he had always known how to calm her; how to make the rage go away. For a moment she had thought Gabriel might have found the same magic, but he was gone now as well. _Not like this, sister dear. With stealth and bravado. That is how you charm them in the end and bring forth destruction. _

Her eyes turned to the small card that had been handed to her by Gyorgy. She had pushed it carelessly in between two books. It was just an address written in an elegant hand; so innocent; so dark. It was an easy decision to make.

The following evening she washed herself in the cold vat of water left for her by the servants hours before. Some of them obviously still braved her temper. She chose a large black silk gown with an open bodice. Her face she hid behind a black leather mask. The Vatican stable was easy to break into. The horses were calm and looked on interested as she saddled a large black mare and rode out.

**x x x x x x x **

Azare was bored, the string of masquerades, hosted each night to parade the freshest, the most beautiful blood of Rome for his inspection. He desired a mate, not some pompous fool with naïve thought of an eternal existence. They were hunters, beasts above all and he suspected none worthy could be found in the powdered peacocks on offer tonight. He left his partner abruptly at the dance floor, making his way into the kitchens. He pulled aside a young kitchen maid, sinking his teeth to her throat, killing the girl in minutes. The staff paid him no mind, and would carry out the body with the rest of the leftovers of the feast. He returned to the ball, feeling much better.

He saw her descend down the stairs, magnificent body wrapped in black, face hidden beneath leather. He could feel the ripples in the room as the males turned in her direction; most guided by the simple sensation of the scent of her entrance. The first dance she accepted from a young one. Azare did not mind; he had time. He wanted her to grow accustomed to the room; to their presence in the crowd. Her entrance had made his skin vibrate as no one had in a long time: only in the company of a worthy opponent or a worthy match. He would enjoy discovering which one she was.

**x x x x x x x **

Anna felt him approach. The same pressure in the back of her spine that Dracula had caused back home; suddenly a huge wave of comfort to flooded her body. This was home; this was her darkness. She slowly turned to her admirer. The party was all different and the monsters of her homeland wore different masks of humanity and civility, but it was still common ground. It was still unfathomable evil to be defeated. He did not speak at first. Only took her hand and gave it the slightest kiss. She could still feel his cold breath.

"I am Azare, the protector of this ball. You must accompany me for the next dance. I have been told it is a waltz."

His voice was pleasant, slightly deeper than Anna had expected and she smiled and nodded confirming his request.

"But I cannot take you to the floor unless I know your name, Lady."

He was quick to pull her closer; hand on her side ready sweep her off. Anna weighted the man's words silently, causing slight crumbling of his bravado. Then smiled; she liked him well enough.

"This is a ball of masks, stranger; of hidden faces. Names are of no consequence tonight. If you wish to lead me to a dance you must do so without my name. Can you do that, sir?"

"I believe I can."

He said smiling.

"A lady must be allowed to keep some secrets."

His dance was different; slow and probing. Dracula was all about harsh control; his mastery over his victims. Azare did not feel the same pressure for control. He wished for her participation in the dance: her willingness to share the floor with him. It was a slow blooming realization for Anna. He was not courting her for a kill. It was a strange sensation of comfort and belonging that filled her during the waltz. The feminine features she had learned to suppress began to surface as her body began to grow accustomed to the heavy fabric of the dress around her legs; to the binding strength of the bodice. She was a princess courted by a handsome stranger in a masked ball; this had never been her life. The strangeness of her surroundings was however dimmer by the familiar feel of vampires. The pressure of an enemy near brought her home again; binding her strange new feminine self tightly with the warrior senses still in her. She smiled seductively to her dance partner. She could hunt like this. She could hunt under the illusion of civility and polite society.

**x x x x x x x **

Bellatrix stood on the stairs admiring the vastness of the Order's smithy and laboratory. Hundreds of men, working and sweating to create more advanced weapons and potions to bring down the monsters of this world. She could see the man now; standing just off the side from the entrance looking gruff and uninterested in the hubbub of the working men. Silently she moved to stand beside him, quietly regarding his profile.

"Why did you feel the need to bring her here?"

The man visibly flinched, not having noticed her presence before. He regarded her with weary eyes; Bellatrix hazarded that this was mostly due to her nun's robes, but also partly because she was a woman. Women were rarely welcome here; and even now she came uninvited, but her position as the Mother Superior for the Order's convent gave her some leverage with the guards.

"I did not bring her here. She wanted to see Rome."

Bellatrix smiled at the half truth, but understood the man's need for it. The Order did not breed men who had an abundance of emotional reserves or the abilities to cope with love.

"It was wrong of you to pull her away from her people; away from her battle if you are not allowing her to continue with her calling."

Van Helsing did not answer, only stubbornly kept his eyes fixed towards the far end on the hall. Bellatrix cursed inwardly; cursed the codes of the Order and Cardinal Jinette's inability to anything beyond his own political circle of influence. Torn and raw as the man now was he could be of no proper use to the Order. Van Helsing would not listen to or even understand her words about love now, and Bellatrix turned to leave.

Gabriel however heard her silent words as she walked away.

"He's power does not last forever, Gabriel. You should do well to remember that. Do not sacrifice all so needlessly because of you pride."

This was not about his pride, damnit. It had been Anna's choice as much as it had been his. She had accepted her position within the gypsy courts and he could understand her choices even if he could not condone them. The Order would have never accepted her as a hunter; she would have been confided into one of the abbeys or hospitals. Retaining her position within the courts of her people granted her some power over her own fate.

Part of him felt guilty for letting her come with him. In her village she had had some measure of freedom, her skills and her position had been recognised to a degree after her father's death. In Rome she was on Church's land; in the land of men; where her skill meant nothing. But he knew that given the chance he would not change a moment of their time together, would not sacrifice those few weeks of happiness. Maybe that made him selfish. The wolf within him was so angry. It had been raging for weeks; fighting to be let out to claim back its lost mate. He had kept tight rain on his emotions, refusing to go and see her; to explain. Maybe it was better to make it a clean break, less painful for both of them.

Jinette nodded to the tall man he was conversing with and walked towards Gabriel. The man's voice was raspy. Van Helsing read his displeasure easily from his stance. His keen eyes had probably spotted the visit from Mother Superior. The whole order was aware of the deep-running enmity between the two. Bellatrix openly criticised and detested the Cardinal's methods and Jinette fought back by denying her and her nuns any type of access to the orders facilities. Even with the hostility the Order and the convent needed each other. Bellatrix employed and trained the best physicians and healers in Europe; many of them specialising in the supernatural. In exchange the Order allowed the use of their extensive library. She was also, to Jinette's great displeasure, a member of the Order's council.

"You will not be required to travel anywhere in this assignment."

Van Helsing had been sensing the Cardinal's whish to keep him close to home; Anna's arrival and the suspicions that had flared up in the Order had made him more wary.

"After Dracula was perished they grew bold. The old vampire elite of Europe have risen again to seize power. They have festered and began to breed right here in Rome. The leader, also known as Father is the key. His blood flows in the veins of every vampire that serves his cause. Killing him will destroy the entire covenant."

"Why hasn't anything been done about him before?"

The Cardinal shot him a look and continued on; leaving the question hanging in the air.

"These families are intensely private. The identity of the father is not necessarily known by even the closest of his acolytes."

He walked towards a table where a large family tree was laid out. Many of its branches held a name written in brackets and a date.

"These are the names of the chosen ones who have been turned into the family within the last hundred years. There has been less and less turning during the last decades."

For some reason the man seemed displeased over this. Gabriel felt uneasy as his fingers brushed over the parchment.

"We do however have a small window of opportunity. It has been rumoured that a high ranking vampire of the covenant is in search of a wife, a mate if you will; a worthy woman to turn as his bride. Gatherings are being arranged all around Rome during the next few weeks."

Gabriel nodded, but reluctantly. Somehow this mission more than any other brought forth uneasiness in him he had not felt in a long time.

"These are your orders. Find and kill Father before the end of the month. Stop this approaching wedding ceremony and I will consider all the transgressions of Transylvania forgotten."

Gabriel knew he was offering more than just the overlooking of his past deeds. Jinette had been hinting of the order's knowledge concerning his past for weeks, maybe even before he left for Transylvania. He felt as if he was exchanging a possible future for his hazy past. He had longed for a family that could be waiting for him for so long, but during the ride from Transylvania that dream had started to slowly fade. But Anna had made this choice for him; she had accepted a role which Gabriel had never thought for her. He would accept Jinette's offer and his past.

**x x x x x x x **

Anna pivoted around the maze-like rows of the Vatican library. She had managed to threaten one young priest into revealing Carl's whereabouts, and was now trying to follow his stuttering directions, but none of them seemed to make sense. Finally she spotted a large desk covered by tomes peeking between the rows of books.

Her experiences at the masquerade had left her coiled and ready. Gyorgy's actions made sense now. They could not have allowed her to rule, but her people still needed to be protected. She had only been too blinded by her rage to see it. It was possible that the court was well aware of the masses of vampires that prowled the city, but had been unable to begin direct confrontation in fear of having the war spill out in the streets. In truth Rome was not much different from her own village. Vatican was the absolute ruler, but only in name. Small independent organizations held much power in the city and none could risk shaking the balance of power. As long as each sect only fought their own corner an apparent peace could be kept. Gyorgy had no choice but to force her out of her own clan. Now the gypsies could still maintain a diplomatic relationship with the Roman underbelly; and rest in the knowledge that the quest of their forefather's had not been abandoned.

Carl had his nose firmly pressed into a magnifying glass which he was using to read the miniscule text in the book laid out on the table. Anna softly knocked on the wooden surface.

"Anna! How are…. What is…? It is so nice to see you again!"

She smiled, felt like she had not done so in ages. It was good to see a friendly face; even though Carl seemed to be more haggard than usual. The slight sparkle he had had during their time in Transylvania was gone. Now he merely looked tired. She knew it was wrong of her to implore him to betray the Order, but he was her only possible ally, the only one who could see.

"I need information. The Vampire courts, here in Rome: how do they operate and where?"

He seemed slightly alarmed by her request, but did not seem surprised. She watched him gather his courage to deny her request.

"Carl."

She sat next to him, studying his face.

"I have been doing this for years. This was my life. They have me locked in a tower like princess in a tale."

Her voice was silent. Carl returned his eyes to the book laid open on the desk. He knew all of this. He had watched their happiness grow during the crossing of the Adriatic Sea. Seen them standing in the helm both wrapped in his coat; wrapped in each other. He thought Van Helsing would not let her out of his sight in Rome. Aghast he had been forced to show Anna her quarters and separate her from the Order and of the task she had been born to fulfil. He had wondered why she had not fought harder, but now seeing the hard glint of her eyes he could presume she was. How could he deny her anything?

"Just promise me you will be careful."

**x x x x x x x **

Carl watched his friend's guarded face as he piled documents and books to be taken back to the library; or more accurately to Anna. He had been silent all throughout Carl's presentation and outline of the vampires which currently resided in Rome and the possible threat he would be facing in trying to take down their syndicate. The sarcasm and his dedication to his calling were gone.

He sat next to the table, letting the room empty around them. Desolately he eyed the parchments and books, letting his gaze travel around the room. Carl could feel it in the air, his need to talk, to confide in someone. Part of Carl wanted to console him, tell him of what Anna was planning, but the other part wanted him to suffer. He had so easily abandoned something which was so incredibly hard to find in this world.

"I do not think I can do this without her anymore."

His voice was quiet, nearly swallowed up by the thick stone surrounding them.

"You have to try."

Carl felt horrible for what he was about to say to his friend, but it had to be done.

"It is what she would have wanted you to do."

**x x x x x x x **

The old woman's face was hard and weather worn. She looked at Anna with a piercing frankness. The woman was causing havoc in the ranks of the Order and she had been sent to give her seeing to. The princess had gathered quite a reputation for frightening the younger nuns and a few priests. Bellatrix watched her face carefully; the cloaked dark eyes that hid her soul so well. She saw the fierceness, the hardened planes of her body where women were expected to be soft and yielding. There were supposed to be threats and accusations, but Mother Superior could not find either escaping her lips. She pulled a slightly worn black rosary from her cloak and laid it in Anna's hand; closing the fingers around the beads. Slowly she took the girl's face in her bony hands.

"You will be strong now."

Slowly Bellatrix moved her hands to gently squeeze Anna's strong arms.

"You have been given the gift and the power to fight in the world of men. Do not falter, for now you have no room to hide in."

She smiled in return, her eyes reflecting the infinite sadness of her words.

"Mother, I have never had anywhere to hide."

Bellatrix gave her arms a final squeeze that came out more of a jerk and turned: slowly walking to the door.

"But I promise you, that I will not falter."

Bellatrix did not turn, but left; tucking the promise into her heart.

Stealthily as he could with the piles of paper sprouting under both arms Carl made his way into the guest quarters. It was late and most of the corridors were already plunged in darkness. There was soft light spreading into the floor underneath her door. Silently the door slid open and the rigid from of Mother Superior slid into view. Carl froze. The woman's cold grey eyes slid over him for a few moments and the she nodded. Silently she walked past him leaving Anna's door slightly ajar. Carl breathed still for a few moments letting the frantic beating of his heart to slow. Anna had obviously found a powerful ally in the Order.

The amount of information Carl had managed to gather was staggering. Vampires had a long history within the city and the Order had obviously tolerated their presence because they had not proposed a notable threat and had contributed to the power status quo within the city that the Order had wanted to preserve. However Anna guessed that Dracula's death had caused a huge power shift in their society and now the power centre lay in Rome. It was apparent that the Order only had a hazy idea of the identity of the new ruler who had taken over. He was never publicly recognised and only went underneath the acronym "Father". This had lead many of the scholars to deduct that this single vampire was the original source of the bloodline. If he was killed the entire clan would vanish.

The books made her wonder how the order could have possibly allowed this kind of power to grow in their own back yard. Then she remembered Gyorgy and his need for politics. The pages were old and frail; the ink barely visible with age. The vampires had inhabited Rome long before the Order had been here; they had settled in when the city was weak and rotten from the centuries under the Caesars' rule, when no one had risen to oppose a new power; not within a city already rank with corruption. Carl's soft voice woke her up from her grim thoughts.

"Anna…"

His eyes had a keen sort of hopefulness and a part of Anna knew what he was going to say.

"Van Helsing is…"

"Don't."

Her hand shot up to silence his sentence. She would not look at him, but Carl could feel the pain radiating off her; the closed off hardness he had seen in some of the elder warriors of the Order.

"I need to… I need to let him go now. It is better this way. For all of us."

Carl wanted to protest. To express the anguish this was causing his friend, but he remained silent. He understood the necessity of their parting. Van Helsing could never fully be with her; he could never fully make her his. Anna would never be allowed into the Order; allowed to fight in the world of men. Carl also understood that Anna would never wait upon a husband's return from battle; she had lead the life of a warrior too long to settle for a life of submission and servitude. And Carl knew that Van Helsing could never ask that of her; so they had parted, possibly to save pain later on.

Anna spread the maps on the huge table. She burned with the desire to ask Carl to finish his sentence; to know if Gabriel was in as much agony as she was. She forced herself into silence; it would be easier this way; easier in the long run. Taking another look at the piles of papers stacked on chairs and floors. It might be that she would not have to be in pain much longer anyway. It was foolhardy to try to infiltrate an organization of this size alone, but the Order had left her with little choice.

Carl was still fiddling with some of the ornate family trees when she walked to her wardrobe. It would have to be something striking; something that was not at all like Anna Valerious. She would have to shed her heart ache; to become a Lady.

"Carl."

The friar's eyes shot up from the papers. She laid the dress on her bed admiring the fabric in the candle light.

"I must prepare."

**x x x x x x x **

Oil lamps hung from the sealing creating patches of yellow light in the corridor. Gabriel moved silently his side slightly grazing the stone wall. The guest quarters were much more lavishly decorated than any other housing section of the Vatican. It was designed to show wealth and unnerve political adversaries. Rugs and small stools were scattered unevenly between the thick wooden doors of the rooms. He had promised himself this one visit; to soak in her presence one last time; to get closure. A door opened not too far away from him; golden light spilling into the hallway for a few moments. Gabriel pressed himself closer to the wall cloaking him in darkness. The figure stepped into the circle of lamp light and Gabriel could not help but exhale.

Anna was exquisite. Her thick hair was gathered in the back of her head orderly kept together by few diamond pins. She stood still as if to listen for intruders; completely still. The dark satin shimmered in the low light. Gabriel knew this was something she would choose to wear. Black leather gloves hugged her arms and a cloak was hung over her left arm. Slowly she turned and began walking away from where Gabriel stood frozen. Silently she moved towards the end of the corridor always momentarily disappearing between the patches of light.

Gabriel forced himself to move after her. The doorway at the end of the corridor lead to a stone staircase carved into the side of the building. He stood on the upper landing watching a footman help her into a black carriage. She had looked so different; like a queen of the gypsies that her title would have her be. Not like the dark fierce creature he had fought alongside in the Transylvanian woods. He felt cold as he watched the carriage speed into one of the narrow back roads.

**x x x x x x x **

Torches were lit along the stony passageway, they flickered even though Anna could feel no wind. Tonight she would have to perform without a mask. Somehow her masquerade seemed like a dream now. The scriptures and texts Carl had provided for her had made her work more grounded. She was no longer searching for the elusive feeling of home in a strange city. Now she had a purpose; a mission. _Still nothing to lose_. The small passage opened up into a cavernous hall. Anna stood on a parapet looking down on the ball. She wore dark blue. Less intricate than what Dracula had chosen for her; but it would still appease a vampire's eye.

She could feel his eyes rising to the railing by the sealing; seeing her in glow of the torches. It was perfect and so wonderfully void of all emotions she should feel. Anna smiled with warmth she could not feel and began descending towards the party. She could see him walking in the crowd; moving towards her unhurried, but still managing not to make her wait. He let his lips graze her knuckles in greeting.

"Lady Valerious, this is an honour."

Anna was taken slightly aback. She was not aware that her presence in Rome had been so widely spoken of. He smiled reassuringly.

"I am sorry, I embarrass you. My family has ties to the gypsy court and there had been rumours of the princess' arrival in our fair city."

He bowed to press another kiss on her hand.

"However they did not do justice to you beauty."

Anna smiled and this time it felt true. Compliments were so hard to come by these days.

"Do not worry, young sir. I was not offended by your forwardness."

The man straightened up and offered her a smile.

"I am Azare, the youngest son of the house of Arsenius; you would honour me by sitting by my side at the feast."

Anna bowed slightly and took Azare's offered arm; he felt strong and solid beneath her fingers. For now she was willing to take any offered comfort in these dangerous waters.

The feast was indeed magnificent and wine and spirits flowed freely. She was amazed at his decorum. One would have never noticed that the food never disappeared from his plate or the wine from his glass. He entertained the party marvellously with anecdotes and stories of the great city. Quite a few of the guests were human; all young and beautiful. She knew that they were courting new prospects. Somehow she could not feel enough panic to worry for the lives of these people; or worry for her own. Ever since her arrival to Rome she had felt somehow lacking. She drowned a full goblet of wine; trying to force some feeling back into her limbs.

After the meal Azare escorted her to a small balcony overlooking the city. They were far off the centre, but she could still feel the pulse of Rome around her. He stood beside her, but did not try to touch.

"Their power over you is not eternal, My Lady."

His voice was steady and he turned his gaze to her; eyes open. She could not meet them. Why could he not be someone else?

"For all I feel now it might as well be."

Anna smiled sadly. She did not know why she felt she could tell this man; felt that he would understand the demands of position; would listen where others could not. We must take what we can get in this life. She knew him to be the enemy, but could not help but feel kinship with him. The quiet desperation and sadness that radiated from him called her own.

"We are not so different, you and I. We are both bound by the rules set down by our ancestors. We follow them because we can do nothing else, even if we would wish to."

Anna lifted his had off the railing and softly kissed the middle knuckle. She needed to keep her eye on the prize; on the identity of the leader, but she needed this moment. Time when she could pretend that the dresses and the banquet and the compliments were real; were given to her because she deserved them. For a moment she could pretend that he truly understood her. She cupped his hand in both of hers and his smile was blinding.

**x x x x x x x **

Slowly days began to bleed into one another. The city got more hot and stifling with each passing week. Anna was grateful that she did not have to wander out into the city during the day. Nights were still blessedly cool and the dust of the day settled back into the streets clearing the air. The staff of the Vatican had finally understood her need for solitude and bothered her rarely. Or maybe her night time treks had been mistaken for signs of courtship. Food, exquisite gowns and jewellery appeared in her apartment without any requests and Anna presumed Gyorgy must have been funding some of her stay.

Carl's exuberant presence was palm for her wounds. He would always smuggle as many documents as possible from the Order's library and then would be appalled by his own behaviour, but Anna knew that part of him was enjoying the shadiness of her mission. Anna swiped her plate clean with the remains of the bread and pushed the dirty dishes aside. The clock was beginning to near seven and Carl was almost an hour late. Impatiently she rose to inspect the dress she had chosen for the night. The black silk was finely made, but thick. She had added cloth straps underneath the thick skirt that would allow her to lift the helms up to her thighs if she needed to fight or flee. With few cracks and bangs Carl slipped into the room. He was carrying parcels wrapped in brown cloth and a thin envelope.

His usual mischievous air was gone, replaced by worry. He laid his bundles on the desk and began pacing.

"There have been rumours."

His voice was clipped and he fidgeted with the small envelope. For the first time Carl seemed scared; she had seen him apprehensive and panicked, but never like this.

"The vampires have revived an old custom known as the Blood Feast. It is a ritual draining of twelve humans."

"I have been battling vampires my entire life, but have never heard of this."

Carl nodded

"It is more of a political act than anything. Dracula would have had no need for it because he was already considered the Lord of the undead. Now however, the vampires are moving in to reclaim Rome for themselves."

He seemed hesitant but continued none the less.

"The Order is worried, this is beginning to escalate beyond their capabilities, and since they are no closer to discovering the identity of Father…"

He refused to go on, shrugging his shoulders helplessly. Anna turned to face him.

"But I am. I am invited into places the Order could never enter."

"I know, but I do not wish for you to be in such danger."

Anna could not help but smile. The protection Carl wished to offer was always so sincere.

"You must understand that this is something I must do. I have always been willing to give up my life for my people. This is no different."

Carl nodded, turning his attention to the parcels resting on the desk and began to unwrap them, muttering to himself.

"They might have the upper hand now, but I was able to come up with a few surprises."

He spread the brown cloth and gently placed six bullets on the table.

"I managed to make you six hollow-point bullets filled with a mixture of silver nitrate, garlic and concentrated holy water. They should explode on impact."

"Will they kill him?"

Carl seemed hesitant for a moment.

"If you aim for the heart and head, yes they might."

"Might?"

"It is the best I can do without the Order's full resources. And I am still not certain of the heritage or powers this vampire possesses"

He seemed so apoplectic. Anna stroked his arm in reassurance.

"I will do my best with them."

Carl opened the parcel and explained the changed he had made for her weaponry. He had laid an enforced silver coat over her sword and managed to produce two pistols and twelve rounds of bullets, which had a simple garlic nitrate point. She fingered the weapons; and looked at Carl's apprehensive face.

"I know you feel that you are betraying your calling."

"Anna, no…"

He made a move to protest, but Anna continued.

"Anything I find you can tell the Order. I do not like the way they operate, but the destruction of this syndicate must come before my own personal grudges."

She smiled again at the relief which shone on the man's face.

**x x x x x x x **

Mehrdad watched the young lord with displeasure. This was not the first time Azare had followed his foolish heart over the security of the line, but this was boarding on ridiculous.

"You do understand that she has been rumoured have had a part in Dracula's destruction."

"That is in favour of our own policies."

The insolent man did not even raise his eyes from the book. Mehrdad clenched his jaw and continued.

"Her family has had a grudge against our kind for centuries. Not to mention the rumours of her affiliation with Van Helsing. How could you have been this careless?"

At this Azare rose to face his accuser. He understood Mehrdad's concerns. It was not a custom to bring mortals into the line merely by turning them. It was still firmly believed that now that they had the power to create real life of the undead a turning was not needed anymore.

"Do not concern yourself with Anna's affiliations. The Roman Gypsy court has severed her ties enough towards her own people and the Vatican is keeping their hunter on a tight leash."

He moved off the love seat he had been occupying and moved further into the darkness of the room. He crouched down to a young woman tied into the corner; she shivered in revulsion and turned her face away. For days now Azare could not have taken his mind away from the captivating gypsy. Anna was a mystery to him; her strength blinded even him and had made him wary, but the desperation radiating off her in waves could not be misread. She was ready to embrace the darkness; all hunters were born of the darkness, no matter whom they swore their allegiance to.

"We need new blood and the Princess is of Dracula's lineage which would make her a prime candidate for us."

Anna was ready to face hers; by his side. Savagely he bit into the girl's neck, bringing forth a stream of blood which began to trickle down her body.

"Mehrdad, I am in want of a wife and I have chosen to court her."

He fed of her in long gulps, ignoring the other man's presence in the room completely. However Mehrdad refused to allow him to enjoy his meal.

"Before anything you must consider Father, Azare."

Angrily Azare threw the now half dead woman aside; facing the other man fully.

"I have, and he has already approved of my choice."

**x x x x x x x **

The light of the crescent moon flickered on the dark surface of the river. The air was warm. His presence was sure and strong next to her as they strolled in the empty street. Anna had begun to take comfort in his dark form that stood beside her, danced with her. He was somehow so familiar with that hint of danger that lingered in the air even after he had departed.

"Why so sad my Lady?"

Anna smiled. He picked up on her emotions so easily when she was not guarded. Sometimes she did not even wish to hide from his gentle explorations.

"It is such a perfect nigh. But all things come to an end."

He stopped and turned to look at the river. Anna wished that she could enjoy this moment for the right reasons. That she was merely a lady courted by a handsome stranger; to not be able to see the darkness inside of him. Azare turned to look at her, fingers slowly caressing her cheek.

"It does not have to."

The kiss was light, but sure. A chaste kiss a courting man would dare to give his heart's desire before marriage. A kiss an innocent woman would blush with. She could not help but remember rough hands and stone scraping her back; to wish for the fierceness of the past.

**x x x x x x x **

They young vampire gurgled in the back of its throat, desperately fighting against Gabriel's iron grip. He pushed the cross back into the creature's flesh bringing forth strangled screams and the smell of burning flesh. He did not even bother with questions. The creature would confess to anything if questioned. Gabriel let it offer him his own confessions, in the hope that he would shed some light into the events taking place; the Order had as far been unable to find anything useful in its archives.

"He just wants a wife."

The creature's words were coughed out and Gabriel lessened the pressure of the crucifix. It panted and tried to wriggle out of his grasp, but Gabriel held on; pulling a bottle of holy water from his pocket and pushed the cork out. The creature let out panicked gasps.

"We all try to bring him one."

He let a few drops trickle onto its skin, where the water immediately began to smoke and sear away the skin.

"A worthy one, a perfect one!"

The creature's words began turning into screeches; its legs kicked out erratically against the table Gabriel had him pinned to. He let some more water dribble out of the bottle.

"There will be a Blood Feast, to show his dominance."

A sudden fear gripped Gabriel's chest. He had read of this. He hoisted the struggling man up from his lapels and shoved him against the side of the table.

"Where?"

"Tonight, in the slaughter district, I don't know…"

The creature struggled and Gabriel staked it easily; the ash falling around him.

**x x x x x x x **

He kissed her once more gently; Anna squeezed the reins in her hand to keep herself grounded. It would be so easy to fall into this pretence; to lose herself, but she had made a promise to keep her people safe. She smiled as Azare walked towards his house and disappeared through a side door. Silently she walked into the shadows of the trees lining the courtyard with her horse. She petted its muzzle as she tied the animal to one of the trees and moved to follow Azare.

She could not risk his affections by asking of the Feast, he had not discussed his family or vampirism and Anna had let the subject slide. His attraction to her was too great of a card to lose. The door was unlocked and she slipped into the dark hallway easily.

The voices were barely muffled by the slightly ajar door.

"How can you be this late! The feast is tonight! We must all be here while the ritual is performed! The slaughter district is already being readied for the feast."

Anna froze at the sound of the agitated male voice. Slowly she scooted back to the exit and rushed to her horse. She could feel the terror lurking on the edges of her mind. She had failed; failed Carl and her people. The order would not have enough time to send hunters to deal with the feast. She needed to get a message to Bellatrix. Someone had to get to the slaughter house before the start of the ritual.

She could feel the panic swell in the pit of her stomach, and fought against it. The motions of her horse beneath her worked to calm her screaming nerves and she rode towards the Order's convent. Abandoning the animal in the yard she rushed to find anyone who'd be awake at this hour. She crashed into the foyer, pulling aside the first nun she saw. The Sister made a move to pull her arm away from Anna's bruising grip.

"You need to listen to me."

Maybe it was the panic in her voice, or the tightening of her grip, but the woman stopped struggling.

"You need to get this to Bellatrix!"

She shoved a small piece of paper into the woman's hands, and moved to rush off. The nun stayed put eyeing her warily.

"Now!"

Anna watched as the woman scampered off, and made way back to her horse. She urged the young mare into a gallop; making swift pace across the dark city. Tightly she gripped her sword, which she had attached to her saddle. She had been expecting this for days; the knowledge which Carl had bestowed upon her resting within her stomach like a stone. The rolling fear was beginning to rear its ugly head, but stronger than that was the blood lust. She could smell it in her nostrils, feel the heat and urgency of battle in her muscles. As if on instinct she pulled the animal to a stop outside the building and lowered herself to the ground, pulling the sword from its sheath.

She kicked off her silk shoes as she approached the building. It was slightly below ground level, nestled in between a brewery and slaughterhouse; both which would hide the stench of death. She felt the itch beneath her skin; sharp breath in her lungs, everything was heightened, elevated by her own lust. She crouched by the door; silently listening the nearly inaudible sounds of pain emitting from the inside. Slowly she hooked her skits around her thighs and allowed her spine to crack in the confides of her corset. She turned the handle, slipping into the gloom of the room. Tens of pairs of undead eyes turned to her; drawn in by her smell, her aura of violence. Her sword glinted in the low light. It was time.

**x x x x x x x **

The horse's hooves slipped on the cobblestones as Gabriel manoeuvred the animal through another tight corner. How could this be happening right under the Order's nose; a Blood Feast, in Rome? This was more than just a power shift with in the undead sect; it was an invasion. If the presence of the Order or the Church no longer held the demons back, then nothing would. The corner of the slaughterhouse was visible at the end of the street and he pulled the tired animal into a trot, not wanting to alert anyone to his presence. He left the beast to the corner and slowly progressed towards the heavy wooden door hidden underneath the street line. A black horse stood idly by the entryway and fear began to grip Gabriel's chest. The door was slightly ajar and snarling and grunts could be heard through the gap. He was almost thrown aside by a vampire dashing from the doorway. He cut the demon's head off easily with his blade and its body turned to ash around him. Silently he moved to the door, now slung wide.

She was crouching on the table her thigh muscles plunging with the effort; the sword in a graceful arc above her head. She was snarling; her teeth bared towards the faces of the demons surrounding her. One of the smirking creatures jumped; extending clawed hands towards Anna's throat. She swung. Its head hit the floor and slowly quivered to ash; making the rest of the pack shrink back. She seemed to sense his presence, turning her gaze slightly towards him. Her eyes were dark and calm. He remembered that look; remembered the rage and nodded. As a one body they moved; diving into the melee of demons.

Now Anna did not need to consider her villagers or the wrath the vampires would reap upon them as vengeance. She was free to kill; to destroy as her instincts demanded of her. _Heart and head_. Inhuman bodies turning into nothingness around her. She could feel him beside her; the powerful pull of flesh and spirit. The pretence of civility she had wore for the past weeks made the killing even more brutal. The cuts and bruises forming on her legs and arms became a pleasure of sorts; a reminder of her true nature.

Gabriel rushed to the people chained to the walls, hacking away at their bonds. Their bodies stumbled forwards, shrinking into themselves out of fear and thirst. He barely noticed their plight; unable to take his eyes off Anna's form. She moved among the demons; her sword slicing left and right. She grabbed a large vampire from behind bringing her sword to its throat; locking her gaze with his. There was heat in her eyes; darkness he had not seen before. She called to him, as the vampire fell to ash in her embrace.

The battle was over in minutes, and Gabriel ushered the shocked humans out of the basement; letting them escape into the night air. He retuned; watching her move among the debris. Her legs and arms were adorned with cuts and bruises, but she did not seem to notice the pain. He moved to her; caressing her exposed neck with bloodied fingers. He had been starved for her; she turned reading his want, his desperation. She turned; pulling him to their horses.

She rode without her shoes, her dress punched up high, tendrils of hair escaping the confiding braid. He could not take his eyes off her. The hallway of stone was as dim as he remembered, the blotches of light from the lamps casting strange shapes on the walls. She was moving deftly through the mazes of corridors; bare feet silent on the rugs. He followed her; grabbing a hold of her arm. He meant to ask her of the Feast, of her reasons for being there, but none of these ever passed through his lips. His other fist pulled her hair; pulling her head back. The kiss was bruising, hard, violent, but she did not fight it, merely latched her teeth onto his lower lip drawing blood.

Her breathing was hard, chest heaving; trying to find an outlet in the confides of her corset. He rammed her against the wall, hands pushing the thick straps down. She fought for control, grabbing his wrists and forcing them to his sides. Their breath and rage mingled in the heavy air.

She moved, nearly running towards her quarters, feeling him fast in her heels. She wrenched the door open, nearly crashing into the study. She turned to face him, eyes glimmering dangerously in the candle light. She could see the rage now, the passion of the wolf she had last seen in Castle Dracula. The hairs in the back of her neck rose. Violently he threw his coat aside and advanced on her. The Lady in her whished to run, to cower, instead she smiled; lazily. _Heart and Head_.

The hands on her shoulders were bruising in their grip. He shoved her onto the desk, scattering ink bottles onto the floor; they broke with a clink. He forced her thighs apart with his own, hands shoving her skirts up. She fisted the fabric of his black shirt. There was defiance in his eyes; daring her to stop him; to renounce the lust and the violence and the blood that bound them to one another. Violently she yanked the fabric, it tore as his fingers pushed into her; she bit his shoulder, worrying the skin. She wrenched the remnants of the shirt down his arms.

"More, now."

Her voice had turned into a growl and his fingers became harsher, stronger.

"No! Now."

She let go of his arms, falling onto table; and hooking her foot onto its edge; spreading her legs more. He breathed harshly through his nose; pupils completely disappeared into the black of his irises. He growled; and pushed her knee with his shoulder, fingers working on his belt.

"Nownownownow…."

She was chanting now; barely breathing in between the words. He wrapped his arms around her bent knee, and pushed in. Anna screamed, her back arching off the table; her leg spasming in his hold but he did not let go, holding on still as she rode the tremors. He shoved his other had under her ass; giving her no time to recover, started his own harsh rhythm. Her body rode with him. Her fingers pressed into the edge of the desk behind her head, curling her spine. This was what she had wanted; had needed surrounded by silk gloves and pretentious people; him solid and hard. Moving in her like the sea.

His teeth were clenched together, sweat running down his brow. She wrapped her free leg around him, forcing his pace. Their eyes locked, and suddenly all was silent, Anna pushed herself up. Latching onto his body; lips moving across his face. He was whispering her name against the side of her mouth in the rhythm of his thrusts. She could feel the shivers running down his body; he was beginning to unravel. She kissed him, eyes open, swallowing his groan; squeezing him for the final time before letting her leg fall limply against the side of the desk.

He stumbled away from her, near crashing into a chair by the window. Anna remained precariously balanced on the edge of the table, feeling the remains of their fucking pooling between her legs. He would not look her in the eyes as he buttoned up his trousers. Anna could not help but think of it as funny; to lose such violent intimacy in such a short time. His voice was still hoarse as he spoke.

"What were you doing in a Blood Feast by yourself? Do you have any idea how dangerous this city is?"

She let herself rock against the rim of the wood; the pain in her thighs a much needed distraction from the strangling sorrow building up in her stomach.

"I think you lost your right to care a while ago."

He snorted, but there was no humour behind it.

"Indeed, I did."

His gaze danced around the room, refusing to stop at her. His face was cold.

"However that still does not explain what you were doing at the Feast."

Slowly she slid down from the table, shaky feet touching the floor. The pain was sharp now, like biting on a broken tooth. But at least it was something, after the weeks of silence and repression there was a pleasure to be found in anguish.

"I fail to see why I should explain myself to you."

Now he was finally facing her; rising from his chair, using his height to force her into a confession. _Not today my clergyman_. It was a bitter thought which she did not voice.

"I saw the look in your eyes out there."

_I see the look in your eyes now_, but that thought remained silent as well. He did not deserve to hear the truth anymore, did not deserve her voice. Enraged by her silence her carried on.

"You enjoyed the killing, you liked it."

"What! And you do not!"

She reigned in her rage and smiled with a bitter twist to her lips.

"I forgot you like your death and destruction Vatican sanctioned."

"At least I have a sanction."

She let the words sink in, letting them fester into old hurts. She let her fist fly. The connection with his jaw felt good, the pain radiating through her arm right up to her shoulder. His head whipped to the side. The rage bubbled in her; fresh and silky and she fed it all the hurts from the past month. She hated that he could still bring her to these extremes. He had no right anymore. She faced the table, squeezing her fingers into the rim, now for a very different reason.

When she turned around he was gone.

**x x x x x x x **

Anna woke up wrapped around her duvet. The tears came, but she could not bring herself to sob anymore. Just let them run across her face; seep into the pillow. She had dreamed of the ship again. Of the eerie calm that had forced them into stillness for two days. She forced herself to get up and washed her face with the cold water provided by the bed. She sat on the edge of the mattress. The sobs came, she buried her head in her knees and let her body convulse. It had become such a ritual for her now. To cry over what has been lost in the privacy of the night. It allowed her to be seductive, alluring and strong in the face of her enemies, but now she needed to be allowed to grieve.

She felt the clench in her stomach and barely had time to rush to the bucket in the corner before her stomach emptied its contents. Her limbs shook and stomach continued to roll for a few minutes, before the queasiness passed. Slowly her body calmed down and she returned to her bed; wrapping her body around the duvet; an illusion of another body, and went back to sleep.

**x x x x x x x **

The days were short and her nights endless. Her gowns became her armour, flick of a wrist or bend of her neck her weapons. With Dracula everything had been hard and cold and difficult. In Rome, among the splendour of the Vampire courts her life became seductive, subtle and dangerous. Where Dracula had been all about the blunt force, perfect control of his territory, Azare existed in a world where he had to coexist. He played games and hid his nature behind a knife-sharp smile.

Anna enjoyed his company; revelled in the danger and in his absolute adoration. His love was so very different from Gabriel's. Azare did not feel the need to hide his affections, showering her with gifts and compliments and polite bows. Part of her wanted to love him so desperately, wanted the fairytale love which he was offering. But the truth was she had never been born for polite love. Gabriel's love had been wild and desperate and hard. In him she had found her mirror, her sheath.

She smiled at Azare across the room. Maybe she was not cut out for happy endings. One of them would die by the ends of this. She had long ago made her peace with death and part of her wanted it. Maybe that was what had made this so easy for her; she had been so calm walking into the viper's nest. Azare kissed her palm and pulled her onto the dance floor. She kissed him while letting his hands twirl her 'round. His lips were cold, comforting in their familiarity. Her eyes were drawn to the sealing, letting the dance take her.

**x x x x x x x **

"Anna, I wish to marry you."

His admission took her off guard. Anna had not expected this to happen so soon, but maybe she had ignored the strength of his affections due to her own problems.

"But first I must confess something to you."

Azare chose his words carefully; spoke haltingly, as if he was truly afraid of her response. She could not help but wonder at the fear which still lived within this powerful being; who could command people merely with his will alone. He spoke lengthily of Dracula and of her family and their involvement with him. Then he spoke of the gypsies and their position. Anna moved to block the flow of words with her fingers.

"Azare, I know all this. I know of the darkness in which you dwell, and I am not afraid."

He halted, words still lingering on his lips as he took her hand.

"I am here of my free will."

He caressed her fingers, silent and thoughtful.

"I need to know that this is real for you. That you are here for the right reasons."

His eyes were sincere, but Anna could hear the pain in his voice. Somehow she could still not believe that he had allowed her into his heart. Part of her rejoiced at this; someone found her worthy of their love, of their heart. She was also pained through the knowledge that she must crush his heart, but warmed herself with the thought that he would not live to feel the pain.

"My family has forsaken all which I have stood for."

Anna extended her wrist towards his face; a silent offering and acceptance of his customs.

"I am tired of being strong."

His long fingered hands came to cradle her hand. She could see the shifts of bone and muscle underneath his skin before his face transformed and his fangs lengthened. It was not so much pain, as a mental breach when his fangs broke the skin of her wrist. She allowed him into her body this way as she had denied him in others. He did not take much, a few sips. His face changed back, lips still caressing the wound.

"Father will approve of you before the ceremony."

Now there was smile in his voice, and Anna could not help but smile with him.

"And then you will be with me, for all time."

**x x x x x x x **

She pressed the quill down with more force that necessary with the last few strokes, wanting to make an impression, to leave a mark. The heaving illness which had been gripping her for most of the day was luckily lessening now. Azare's black envelope rested next to her arm, with the note pulled half-way out. She had always dreaded the day of her wedding, even when she was younger and had barely understood what it entitled. She had never expected to feel this pull, this excitement, but she had to consider it was most likely due more to the danger than the actual wedding. Anna had to smile at herself. Maybe this was the only way she could actually experience this; it was highly unlikely she would ever marry, even if she somehow survived tonight.

She finished her letter and slipped it into an envelope. The door creaked slightly as Carl hurried in carrying the last of her weapons. He laid the small pistol onto the table. She was amazed at the tiny size of the gun.

"Silver bullets, with concentrated garlic hollow point."

Anna pulled out a small holster from one of the drawers. She hiked her dress up and wrapped it around her leg; she had to smile as Carl bashfully turned to face the wall. She holstered the pistol and sent a silent prayer that it would be enough to kill Father. She turned back to the desk and stuck a wax strip into a candle flame.

She let the drops of wax drip onto the envelope and then pressed it closed with her finger tip. No great insignia or coat of arms for her. Car stood in the corner fidgeting nervously. He had tried to talk her out of this plan for days now.

"I need for you to give this to him if…"

She faltered, she had thought about death for so long now it seemed almost a friend, but she refused to acknowledge its presence now. Carl nodded silently. He knew of whom she spoke of. He took the letter fingering the paper nervously.

"Anna, you do not need to do this."

She shook her head, but he carried on heedlessly.

"The Order has men who could do this."

To that she had to smile. Had to smile at his innocence; that he was still so unaware of what she had to do to gain this kind of access. To trade in all that was precious and private in her mind, to hide within her own body, but then, she had always had to.

"You know that is not true. Also, this is something I need to do."

She was truly smiling now.

"You must understand; this is my gift, my sacrifice which should have been given for the death of Dracula and is now long overdue. The fates are demanding for the last Valerious heir."

She looked into the darkness creeping in between the open curtains. For the first time in a long time she felt in peace with herself; empty of the doubts and fears nagging away in her heart. Maybe it was time.

**x x x x x x x **

The knock was so hesitant he could barely hear it. The light of the few candles reflected coldly from the stone walls, making the chamber look more like a cave. He pushed the chair away from the rickety desk and went to the door. His face was white; hands clutching a small letter.

"This is about Anna."

Gabriel almost slammed the door to his face. The raw wound which they had ripped open only days ago throbbing in his mind. He forced his temper and spit out.

"No. We have been through this. I cannot be apart of her life any longer."

Carl gave a dry bark of laughter, clutching the piece of paper harder.

"She is going to die tonight."

His body stilled, and the hallway was plunged into a complete silence. Carl knew that if she survived tonight Anna would be so angry; so furious, but how could he do nothing? The words spiller from his mouth, the weeks of work and smuggling, the weapons he had created, names, dates. And finally what Anna had done to gain their confidence. Carl saw the terror slowly overtaking his eyes, filling him up to the brim, till there was nothing left. He handed the crumbled letter to the hunter.

"She wanted me to give you this if…"

He clutched the paper, fingers trebling on the parchment.

"…well if she did not survive, but I think you need to read it now."

**x x x x x x x **

The carriage was lusher than ever before: rose petals thrown over the seats and floor. She brushed her veil away from her eyes, gloved fingers caressing a small note. Azare had outdone himself with her dress, a creation of lace and heavy velvet. It was heavy and made Anna feel like the queen she ought to have been. She smiled at the bitter thought and slid the note open.

_My Love,_

_I await you at the end of the aisle. _

_There are so many things I wish to show you, but more than anything I wish to show you the night through my eyes. _

_Tonight you will be born into life eternal. _

_forever, Azare _

Fighting back the lump in her throat Anna crumbled the note in her hand. She pressed her fist against her leg, feeling the warmed metal of her pistol against the skin, grounding her. She felt the coach come to a halt and released the breath she had not realised she had been holding. She opened the door stepping into the cool air of Roman night. She looked at the sky. Stars were out, glowing down on her with light which had died away hundreds of years ago. _It is in dying that we are born to eternal life. _She smiled at the though, wished that her ancestors would be waiting.

"My Lady…"

The coachman's hesitant voice broke her revere. Anna nodded to him, accepting the offered arm. Sparing a final glance at the stars she left the carriage behind, with Azare's note crumbled in the sand.

**x x x x x x x **

The sea of vampires parted in front of her like the Red Sea. She was their Moses bringing salvation to their king. Anna bowed to her groom waiting at the end of the hall. Their gazes were hungry and curious, sensitive senses smelling the rush of living blood. None of them however made a move to halt her progress. She reached the altar, reached Azare. He smiled; she had passed the first test. His fingers slid over her wrist where his scar had not yet fully healed. He lifted her dark veil from her face, fingers caressing her lips in their wake. She smiled at his daring, willing her nerves to calm, and reached for his hand.

It was like a communal ripple through the mass of vampires when a small side door next to the altar opened. Father looked very old, the skin of his face and hands brittle like paper. The vampire's eyes were dark pools, cold and unreadable. They assessed her quietly; Anna willed her mind silent, her body under control, his gaze slid away as suddenly as it had come. Discreetly he nodded to Azare. An acolyte handed him a thickly bound tome and he slid it open with a thin finger.

"My children."

Unlike his brittle appearance, the creature's voice was steel. Sliding over the crowd like a blade, forcing them into a still silence.

"Tonight is to be a historical occasion. The blood which stood in Vladislaus Dragulia's veins will be united with the House of Arsenius, before you…"

His hand made a movement towards Anna, and instinctively she squeezed Azare's palm tighter in her own.

"Stands the heir and only progenitor of the Valerious line, tonight she…"

He was loudly interrupted by a loud crash. The huge wooden doors swung open, revealing a tightly nit band of vampires dragging a struggling man towards the crowd.

"My Lord!"

Again the mass parted, allowing the group towards the altar. As the struggling man got close Anna began to feel her chest constrict. _No no no_. Gabriel threw his head back howling, desperately fighting against the bonds and the strength of five vampires. She heard the soft exclamation behind her.

"So, what brings the great Van Helsing to our minds, hmm, at such a joys occasion, no less?"

_Carl, you stupid fool_. Anna realised the moment she lost control that all would be lost. The side of her fist was already flying through the air as the cold thin fingers curled around her neck with steely force. His face was next to her ear in an instant, the force of the blow came as a surprise. Losing her balance Anna stumbled, landing on her hands and knees onto the floor. Faintly she could see Azare try to move to help, but Father's hand stopped him.

"Your bride is nothing more than a conniving gypsy whore. A spy of the Order."

His hand fisted onto the back of her dress lifting her from the ground. The knee sank into her abdomen with brute force. Distantly she could hear Gabriel's howls. The pain spread slowly, like an internal fire, expelling all breath from her body. She rolled onto her side, retching spit and acid onto the stone floor. A sharp kick followed on, not letting her recover.

"Her thought betrayed her the moment the human was brought to us."

Anna couldn't force her body to move. The pain slid through her stomach, making her legs clench. He saw Father's boots moving around her, walking towards Gabriel.

"You did not answer me boy. Do you come for the whore?"

Gabriel was breathing through his nostrils, the rage in him almost overwhelming. The thick fingers of a vampire were holding onto his hair, pulling his head back, forcing to him face the vampire's black eyes.

"I am going to kill you."

"You are not going to do anything. Azare come here."

Yet again the commanding flick of writs and Azare obeyed moving down from the altar. Anna tried to catch his eyes, to find some way of stalling, of fighting the undertow pulling her in. He gave her a contemptuous look beneath his eyelids and slid to Father's side. Anna pushed her legs together, trying to force the pain to recede. The blunt metal of the revolver pressed into her thigh. She forced herself to breath through her mouth, sliding her hand under the hem of her dress. Father had turned to Azare, his gaze unpleased.

"You have chosen poorly. Your mistake has, however, brought us Van Helsing so I am willing to be lenient."

He placed his bony hand over Gabriel's throat making him thrash harder in the hold of his guards. The fingers squeezed slightly, but did nothing to subdue his rage.

"The kill is yours."

Azare looked at Gabriel, and the part of his mind that was still the wolf understood that he was staring into the eyes of a competitor. A foreign male forcing his way into his territory. He growled, baring his teeth. Azare let out an angry hiss, letting his teeth elongate. Father moved back, and as if on instinct the mass of vampires moved to hold Gabriel down, all clamouring the taste of a hunter's blood. Anna felt the solid feel of the ivory handle in her fingers; forcing the hammer back she pulled the weapon from between her legs.

The entire energy of the hall was focused on the single place. Azare's fingers were wrapping themselves around Gabriel's head; the power of the mob was keeping him immobile. Anna fought to breathe; the pain was growing, reaching its tendrils down her legs. She could feel something warm and sticky beginning to pool between her thighs. She squeezed the pistol to her side eyes trying to find Father. He stood to the side, not touched by the frenzy of the mob. Azare's fangs sunk into Gabriel's throat. She had one chance to rid the world of these creatures, to release Rome. She could see the force of Gabriel's struggles beginning to lose their power. _Fuck the World_. She fired. There was complete silence, the neat fracture in Azare's scull began to bleed, and then crumble. The vampires shrank back and then moved like the tide towards her. She grasped the handle, grimacing with the effort. The tide never reached her, like a wind blowing through a burnt structure the creatures began to fall apart. She watched as the ancient vampire priest withered to dust.

Gabriel, released from their hold fell to his knees, pressing his hand to the puncture wounds. Anna forced herself onto her hands and knees, crawling onto the steps. She crouched against the stairs, trying to support her weight. The pain was flaring up stronger now; a hot poker shoved inside her stomach. A sharp contraction forced her to crouch down pushing her head against the stone.

"Anna!"

His voice was rough, forced through his bruised throat. He was tying a scrap of cloth around his neck. Anna shifted her thick skirts aside and pushed her hand between her legs to try and find the source of the pain. The wetness startled her and she pulled he hand to the light. The blood was much brighter in the glow of the torches than she had expected. Almost fascinated she examined her bloody hand. Without any warning her legs gave away; smashing her tailbone hard onto the floor. He rushed to her; grabbing her hand, staring at the blood.

"I think something is wrong."

It was running freely now, rivulets of red raging down her legs and pooling on the floor. Gabriel felt his chest constrict and the unfiltered panic began to swell in his mind. Her eyes had started to cloud over. As gently as he could he slid his hands under her body lifting her against his body. Whispering words which made sense only to himself against her hair he began rushing to his horse.

She felt so detached; as if his strong hands lifting her up did not truly touch her body; it was not her he rushed through the cavernous hallways. Roughly he hoisted her and then himself on his horse urging the animal into gallop instantly. The wind pulled on her hair that had come uncoiled during the fight. The pain was a distant hum now; alive in a body she did not feel.

"Need to get to the healers, you will be fine."

His words were whispered underneath his breath as if not meant for her ears. Her hand moved to her stomach. Maybe she had known; and had been unwilling to accept the truth.

"I think she is dying."

The silent consciousness that had lived in her was now slowly withering away. She wondered how she could have begun life so unawares, and only make her presence known now that she was leaving. She let the sob drown inside the shallow breaths her body fought to expel. He just squeezed her harder against his body. Anna took some comfort in the convulsive action, but wished he would not hold her so hard.

The horse's hooves skidded on the stone pathway outside the Convent's hospital. Oil lamps hung from iron posts, gently swinging in the breeze. Anna slid down from the horse crashing onto her hands and knees. He was crouching next to her, hands grasping around her middle to lift her to standing position. She gasped. With his hands the pain flared bright. He let go.

Anna felt the tears now, running streams down her cheeks and onto the dusty ground. Suddenly the hands were back, gentle pads of his coarse fingers smoothing down her neck, like gentling a beast. Silently she nodded. Circling his arms around her shoulders he heaved her up and swung her legs over his other arm. The convulsive pain made her want to retch, but fought the urge. Each step he took jolted her and finally she just let her head roll back, flicking with the motion.

He crashed into the room, startling nuns and healers alike. She heard the desperation in his voice, but could no longer understand the words. The bed beneath her felt like straws, maybe it was. She faintly heard the healer's hard voice commanding Van Helsing out of the room; then strong hands pulling her skirt off. The pain was like the ocean now, retreating and then returning with even more vigour; raging in her belly. She breather though her nose. There was salt in the air.

The wind was gentle on her face pillowing her hair behind her shoulders; the air smelled of the ocean. The tiny grains of sand cradled her feet as the water slowly crashed around her legs and then retreated again into the mass of the sea. The light was muted by the thin clouds that allowed a few rays to filter through; making the water sparkle.

She felt him step next to her; his hand combing through the strands of her hair moving in the wind.

She turned to look. He was so much younger here; the frown that had shadowed her father's face in life was now gone. She did not recognise the smile that played around his lips. She felt like crying but somehow could not in the peace of this place.

"Do not be sad, you have made me so proud, made both of us proud."

He turned to look to the waves where a body was moving gracefully beneath the waters. A head rose above the surface and he threw his hair away from his face. Strongly he pushed through the water. She ran to meet him, the ocean cool surrounding her calves. Now there was no illness, no panic in his embrace. He smelled of the salt of the sea and of Vaseria; of home. Tears came unbidden to her closed eyes forcing themselves from underneath her lids.

"I am so sorry."

He embraced her harder, then pressed his forehead against hers.

"You did what had to be done. You gave me the absolution that was needed. I would not have whished myself to roam the moors taking the lives of innocents."

He looked at her eyes clear and content.

"I had spilled enough blood for that lifetime."

His words did not bring her the solace she needed, but they brought her peace. Anna knew that Velkan understood that her absolution could not solely come from him. She would have to learn to live with her choices before she could accept his forgiveness. Arm in arm they walked to their father. He seemed forlorn now. She reached out for him gentling his face with her hands. He seemed so sad.

"What is wrong?"

She knew his expression now. He had looked the same when she, at the age of fifteen, had come home covered in blood and bruises. She had slain her first werewolf that day. He had been so angry, but also proud; embracing her and then trying to shake some sense into her. That day he had given her the long sword she still carried; a rite of passage.

"My beautiful girl, there is so much you are yet to do."

She was confused now.

"It is not your time yet. This time was given to you to make peace with your past, but now you must return to the world."

She bowed her head. Inside she knew this; her journey was not complete. He kissed the top of her head.

"Do not harder you heart, Anna. He is a better man than you believe him for, he just does not know how to love you yet."

She shook her head; this she was not ready for. She embraced Velkan once more, and then her father. It was a strange feeling; as if someone was pulling a rope out from the back of her head. It grew stronger and she felt the panic swell.

"Mamma! Where is she?"

Her father seemed distant; as if speaking from under water.

"She is not here; her time has not yet come."

The slap to her face made her roll over. There was a foul stench in her nose that made her stomach heave.

"Awake!"

Bellatrix's voice was breathless. She blinked her eyes open still wary of the sting on her face. The pain was less now. The older woman's hand's came to smooth over her brow. Anna could vaguely recognise worry in her eyes.

"Welcome back."

**x x x x x x x **

Bellatrix had been in and out of her rooms throughout the night. She had been lucid most of the time even though the herbs she was given for the pain were making her muscles limp. She had demanded to know. At first Bellatrix had not been willing to discuss her injuries, but she had pressed on. She had been professional, dishing out the hard truths. Rupture in her uterine wall. She lost a baby. Maybe two months old. It was hard to tell this early. She had been able to fight the tears at the face of such brute facts.

Then Gabriel had appeared into the doorway. Bellatrix moved to shoo him away, but Anna shook her head. This needed to be done. She wanted to get up, face him properly, but the muscles of her back fought back against the movement and she stayed still. He sat silently next to her bed, eyes downcast.

"I cannot do this anymore, Gabriel I won't. It is too painful."

He shook his head, eyes facing the floor, shaggy hair curtaining his expression.

"Anna…"

His voice was strangely strangled, shoulders hitching.

"I cannot keep seeing you, and not lose myself."

"Don't do this."

He was shaking his head in denial, desperate eyes meeting hers. He was crying. She palmed his rough cheek, whipping the tears away with her thumb.

"I have to."

"They told me…"

The words seemed to catch in his throat and he looked away.

"Yes, she was yours."

She felt so cruel saying those words, telling him now that all hope was lost. He was crying in earnest now, in the silent, shaking way her father had used to, when he thought no one was looking. Her tears were somehow absent.

"We cannot be together, Gabriel. I understand that now. There is too much bad blood, too many missions to fulfil."

He grabbed her hand like a drowning man, burying his nose in her palm. His eyes were squeezed shut as if to shield him from her words.

"There will always be battles which you think me too weak for. Wars you think I cannot wage. I cannot love you and at the same time do what I was born to do."

He nodded, and rose from his chair. He stopped at the door, almost saying something, but seemed to think it better to stay silent. He disappeared into of the corridor. Anna turned her head away from the darkness of the doorway. The tears came, silent and terrible, bleeding into the fabric of her pillow.


	3. Epilogue

Epilogue

Outskirts of Rome, July 1889

The hour was very late, or very early depending on how one wanted to look at it. Gyorgy Faw stood at his front door looking at the approaching carriage with slight dread. A rider had arrived a few hours before, from the Convent of the Order to inform that Anna Valerious would need their hospitality. He again felt the jolt of fear in his stomach as he had for the past hour each time his eyes connected with those of his wife. She had huffed at the lateness of their guest at the messenger, but Gyorgy could recognise fear in her eyes.

She had prepared their large guest bedroom lavishly. Then she had moved to the kitchen to wake the maid. She had instructed the staff to start preparing for a very early breakfast; the richer the better. He had lingered behind her, observing the preparations, now and again catching her eye, but unable to hold the accusing gaze for long. He understood her anger, and felt guilty for causing it. He had sent the girl into the lion's den without any protection, expecting her to come through to the other side. He had failed his kin and their clan; he had failed to protect that which was most precious.

The light of the candle flickered in his hand as the black coach stilled in front of the door. He could feel his wife's presence materialising behind his back. The driver jumped off to open the door. A nun dressed in black stepped out, but turned back to the interior to help the Princess out. Her movements were shaky and uneasy; black hair falling to cover her bowed face. The nun's face was stricken with worry as she slowly supported the other woman towards the door. Gyorgy could hear his wife huff again. She shoved him aside and rushed to help. Wrapping her arm around the princess and supporting most of her weight against her rather sizable hip. Slowly they made their way into the sitting room.

In the blaze of the fire Gyorgy could see that one side of her face was beginning to form nasty purple bruising. She waved away his wife's offer of an armchair and continued to lean against the fireplace; even though Gyorgy could see that she was favouring her right leg. He looked at the stubborn set of her jaw and maybe understood why. The Sister pulled a small white envelope from the folds of her rope and handed it to Gyorgy. He gripped the white paper, slightly crumbling it and bid her goodnight.

He could not bear to look at the tense back of the princess, trying to occupy his gaze with all the trivial items which had accumulated in the room over the decades of living. Somewhere he heard a door close. His wife returned to the room carrying a tea tray, placing it gently on the side table.

"Gilly made us some herb tea."

Anna pressed the palm of her hand to her mouth; her back bending like under some heavy weight. The sound which tore from her mouth was more of a howl than a sob. Gyorgy stood frozen, paralysed by the grief to which he was partly to blame. His wife however did not feel such sentiment, merely leaving the tea and moving to the other woman, catching her just before her knees gave out. Marona let Anna's weight sink onto her knees; gently stroking the other woman's hair. Anna wailed against her shoulder; screaming out the misery of the last day. Gyorgy slowly left the room, closing the door behind him.

When he retuned an hour later, the parlour was still filled with light. Marona was sitting in a love seat facing Anna who had pulled an armchair by the fire. Anna was holding a cup of tea between her palms. The bruising on her face was more prominent now. He stood by the door silently listening to the end of her story. Her voice was quiet, but she did not falter.

"It would have never dawned on any of us that while, the father was the progenitor; he was never their leader…"

Slowly he walked into the room, allowing the floorboards creak, so as not to startle the two women. Anna turned to look at him now for the first time. There was weariness in her eyes; only reserved to old warriors. He felt the tide of guilt rising in his throat once more.

"I am so sorry."

She closed her eyes, and breathed, and then shook her head.

"This would have happened whether you commanded it or not."

Marona got up from her seat.

"I think this is enough for today. Anna, I have prepared a room for you."

She motioned the princess to follow her. Anna rose from the chair slowly, putting much weight on her arms. Marona made no move to help, and from the look in her eyes Gyorgy understood not to, either. When she made to pass him, Gyorgy placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You can stay here as long as you whish. My house is yours now."

She smiled tiredly, and nodded.

The End

(Will continue in part 3…)


End file.
